Compass says take your passport?

[39august]

I have just read the Compasses posted for Freedom. On port days the Compass directs folks to take thier Sea Pass, photo id and proof of citizenship, passports. I have never seen this on any of 14 cruises. I do NOT want to take my passport off the ship. I will make copies of the id pages to take. We've always been advised a drivers license was sufficient. I don't see how RCI can require this as the passport "rules" have been pushed back yet again. Has anyone else encountered this?

[Sue L]

If they don't require passports to check in they can't require you take them at ports. All ours said a couple of weeks ago was seapass and photo ID.

[In the Pink]

No, but we've always taken our passports.... I figure that's why I have one. If one of us is injured and we need to stay behind, or if some other unforeseen accident arises and we miss the ship, or whatever, I do not want to be in a foreign country without a passport. I'll be very careful with it, obviously, but I'll have it with me. What good does it do me on a ship that's sailed? But, as they say, JMHO.

[Avidcruiser]

On our 9 day explorer cruise we definitely needed our passports in the ports. Every port checked our Sea Pass card and passport before we went on the ship. I think any photo ID will do however. This was the first time we encountered this.

 

I know what you mean about taking the passports off the ship. I was a nervous wreck because in my purse I had all the sea pass cards and all the passports so if it was stolen or missing we'd be in trouble!

[CruisinFinsUp]

Sometimes the port security require to see your passport before you can enter the port area, other times the sea pass is sufficient.

Its not for getting back onto the ship, its for getting into the port area. Not sure why, and not every port asks for it. Sometimes the ship staff have announced that photo id / passports are required to re-enter, and then they are not asked for.

But I agree with the point about taking it in case of emergency -- if for some reason we miss the ship or are injured or something, its very important to have your passport because you are in a foreign country. Photocopies will not help.

[BobBeaSea]

On our 9 day explorer cruise we definitely needed our passports in the ports. Every port checked our Sea Pass card and passport before we went on the ship. I think any photo ID will do however. This was the first time we encountered this.

 

I know what you mean about taking the passports off the ship. I was a nervous wreck because in my purse I had all the sea pass cards and all the passports so if it was stolen or missing we'd be in trouble!

 

I was on Explorer, 9 nighter out of Cape Liberty. You only needed to take a passport ashore if it was the ONLY government issued photo ID you had with you. Copies of the the passport info page are fine for those not wanting to take their passports ashore.

 

Each Compass I have for port days on this sailing (2 1/2 months ago) says the following: "When going ashore in______, don't forget to bring your SeaPasscard and government issued photo ID (i.e. passport or driver's license)". Personally I think the i.e. should have been an e.g. Since passports are NOT required just yet, they can hardly demand them, however, as I mentioned, if it's the only ID you have with you, you will need to take it.

[dcgrumpy]

I was on FOS last week. Every day the compass said to take your "seapass, picture ID and proof of citizenship (passport)". However we were never asked for anything besides our seapass when getting on and off.

[zuscruiserz]

I was also on Freedom last week, and Grumpy is correct - picture ID was requested to be taken along with your seapass card, but was never checked.

 

BTW - what a GREAT cruise :D :D :D !!!

[Langley Cruisers]

On Liberty last week, SeaPass cards AND photo ID was checked at each port, even Labadee. Your SeaPass card does not have your picture on it; it is stored on the ship's computer, but is not on your SeaPass. It is perfectly understandable that photo ID would be expected to be shown before re-boarding the ship.

 

DH carried all our passports in a zippered front pocket of his shorts, or a travel pouch under his shirt; I did not take my purse onshore, nor would I.

[Sue L]

I was on FOS last week. Every day the compass said to take your "seapass, picture ID and proof of citizenship (passport)". However we were never asked for anything besides our seapass when getting on and off.

 

 

How can they require you to take something that is not required by the government or the cruiseline to get on the ship in the first place. They can ask for a government issued ID which basically means your driver's license. But until the government and the cruiselines make it mandatory to have a passport they can't require you to have them on you on at port.

[elhenry]

Just off the EOS on Sunday, and what they wanted was photo ID. Which for us is a passport. Mom forgot hers one day and although they yelled, they let her back on.

That being said, a few years ago when I sailed NCL and it stopped at Nassau, a passport was required to re-enter. It was checked by Bahamian authorities.

 

el henry

[LostAgain]

Just off the Mariner last Sunday. We took our passports off at each port and they were checked each time we got back on. Color cpies of our passports were in the cabin safes, also with family back on shore. Our travel agent suggested this as she said we would need a passport if we ran into a medical issue on an island, or if we missed the boat.

[LostAgain]

Just off the Mariner last Sunday. We took our passports off at each port and they were checked each time we got back on. Color cpies of our passports were in the cabin safes, also with family back on shore. Our travel agent suggested this as she said we would need a passport if we ran into a medical issue on an island, or if we missed the boat.

[jaxon41]

How can they require you to take something that is not required by the government or the cruiseline to get on the ship in the first place. They can ask for a government issued ID which basically means your driver's license. But until the government and the cruiselines make it mandatory to have a passport they can't require you to have them on you on at port.

 

EXACTLY!

[StormGoddess]

When you are in port and to reboard the ship, you are asked for proof of citizenship, a driver's license will not prove that.

So they ask for passports. And no, they are not required for sea travel...YET.

But then you should have your birth certificates with you as proof of citizenship.

Personally, I will take my passport. It is the safest and most secure form of ID, shows who I am, and my citizenship all in one. Plus, God forbid something happens, I am not getting stuck in some foreign country.

[Sue L]

In 13 Caribbean cruises I have never seen in the compass or similar papers that you have to carry proof of citizenship off the ship with you.

[zaxmomm]

I was told (must have read it, maybe in the passport itself or in the docs that came with it) to carry your passport with you when traveling abroad. I think because it is considered a valid id worldwide.

 

As an aside, for those that don't already do this, keep a photocopy in your luggage and also leave a photocopy with someone back at home, in case of emergencies. When we were in Thailand a couple years ago, my DH lost his passport. The photocopy helped tremendously in expediting a replacement. In fact, he was able to fly domestically with just the photocopy as id!

[aqhacruiser]

On our 9 day explorer cruise we definitely needed our passports in the ports. Every port checked our Sea Pass card and passport before we went on the ship. I think any photo ID will do however. This was the first time we encountered this.

 

I know what you mean about taking the passports off the ship. I was a nervous wreck because in my purse I had all the sea pass cards and all the passports so if it was stolen or missing we'd be in trouble!

 

We have passports but photo ID and birth certificates work also. I agree, in June on the Ex. they checked our passports ( ID ) in every port, every time we got off and on the ship and security is very tight now. In Bermuda they were even doing random bag searches. In St. Thomas when we all reported to the dining room to present ID to customs, many people were held up as they were questioned over birth certificates as some are old and hard to read. Passports do make this process much easier but they are not required to cruise until Jan. We always carry original passports into ports but I have copies of our passports in my safe along with copies of all our ID and credit cards just in case we ever lost originals. :)

[gnparend]

As a matter of practice we have always taken our PP with us in the event of any emergency (medical or otherwise) I want my PP. On past cruises, with one exception, a Photo ID was the only requirement. On return to the ship the RCI do ask for your Sail Pass and run it throw there scanner to record your return and as your ID. The people asking for the Photo ID have typically been the Port Security or the RCI security b/c the Customs at the country you are in has dictated. I have always thought in some ports it was silly to show the Sail Pass & Photo ID to one person at the port security and then walk 100 yards down the pier and the RCI security person ask to see the Sail Pass again. I chalk it up to the bureaucratic thing not the "rules".

 

Seeing so many post of recent requirements for PP as an ID I wonder if its TSA or the local goverment making the requirement. I am not so quick to judge RCI. Look at the macho power (some agents) the TSA throws around at the airport.

[dcgrumpy]

How can they require you to take something that is not required by the government or the cruiseline to get on the ship in the first place. They can ask for a government issued ID which basically means your driver's license. But until the government and the cruiselines make it mandatory to have a passport they can't require you to have them on you on at port.

It didn't make any sense to me either. It was a moot point though since they didn't ask for any ID :rolleyes: .

[TRadle]

Freedom’s Compass does say to bring your SeaPass card as well as a photo ID and proof of citizenship. We brought our Driver’s License and copy of the Passports on shore. We never were asked for either, but if we had been we wanted to be sure to have them. We sailed the Western itinerary.

The ID’s are for the port authority so it might be a good idea to check the requirements to re-enter the port area for the islands that you are visiting.

[slyster]

I'm wondering what the dates are on the compasses? I know passports were required earlier in the year, but they changed the rules and stated that a B.C. and photo id were also acceptable.

[dcgrumpy]

I'm wondering what the dates are on the compasses? I know passports were required earlier in the year, but they changed the rules and stated that a B.C. and photo id were also acceptable.

I just got off of FOS this past Sunday and I have the compasses right here. It says it on every port day besides Labadee.

[slyster]

Interesting! Thanks for sharing. I'll be on FOS at the end of October. I don't have a passport, but I know that our travel agent told us we just needed the BC and photo id. On our previous cruises, we were only required to show photo id and our seapass card when coming back through the port and only needed the seapass to get back on the ship.

[dcgrumpy]

Interesting! Thanks for sharing. I'll be on FOS at the end of October. I don't have a passport, but I know that our travel agent told us we just needed the BC and photo id. On our previous cruises, we were only required to show photo id and our seapass card when coming back through the port and only needed the seapass to get back on the ship.

DH and I used our birth certificates and licenses to board. He doesn't have a passport and mine somehow got misplaced in my house :rolleyes: .